PFM Boarders of the year 2014 is an ex-aequo: it goes to two PFM Board partners John Short and Simon Groom.

They have made over 300 posts since the start of the Board well above the number of posts required by their partnership agreement. The quality of their posts, the choice of topics and the caliber of their knowledge sharing are an example for us all in the community.

Thank you Albani and thanks to all the Board. When Mauro approached me and colleagues regarding his concept (and already initiated!) I was delighted to be involved as I could envisage what he was trying to achieve. Nevertheless, that realisation has required hard work and perseverance on his part. All I have been doing is to try and bring to all the members any interesting material on PFM that I have picked up from listening to the radio or have read about in newspapers: I may be helped in that regard by sufficient and diverse debate on PFM issues where I live. The Board can be useful to us all - the Fireside Chats in particular are stimulating and it is time that there is another one on the Board - so if there is anyone that you could nominate and get involved make the suggestion! I also need to dispel the rumour that the recipients of the PFM Boarder of the Year receive a Nobel Prize equivalent in hard cash in a lavish ceremony in Rome!

Many thanks for the recognition, perhaps undeserved for 2014 since my posts have trailed off somewhat because of other commitments. I will try to be more assiduous in 2015 and follow the example of John's much more deserving 2014 performance.